Regional Passport Office, Amritsar, refutes MP Gurjeet Singh Aujla’s allegations

Tribune News Service

Amritsar, January 25

A day after the protest by Gurjeet Singh Aujla, MP from Amritsar, officials at the Regional Passport Office (RPO), Amritsar, claimed that they are committed to provide all passport related services to the general applicants in a transparent, convenient, efficient and comfortable manner.

In an official statement, officials at the RPO stated that the Amritsar office had witnessed a large number of applicants seeking passport services for travelling abroad post-Covid. In order to deal with the rising demand for passport, reducing resultant unavailability period in the appointment cycle and improving the overall transparency, competency and services, Regional Passport Officer NK Shil took good initiatives since he assumed charge on December 14, 2022. In the past month, the Amritsar passport office gave additional appointments, remained open on holidays, Saturdays and Sundays and worked hard to process 7,236 extra applications.

According to his note, dedicated workforce is deployed with special focus to clear pendency and enhance experience and ease of processing of applicants, especially hailing from far-flung areas, senior citizens, minors, pregnant women, specially abled, students, job-seekers and pilgrims.

Shil claimed that extra appointments were given under the normal and tatkal categories at 5 PM daily on the portal to bring down the waiting period and give a chance to the needy applicants on an urgent basis.

In the current situation, the Regional Passport Office was working round the clock to deal with the rush. Special Passport Melas were organised on holidays for the convenience of public.

“This office has not authorised any agent or intermediary and does not entertain any third party. Applicants are advised to beware of touts, third party or dubious elements. There were certain reports of some persons in the garb of agents vitiating the functioning of this office. Our sincere efforts have been to deter such elements in their motive and will continue to do so,” stated Shil.

‘Beware of fraudulent websites’

“It has come to the notice of the Ministry that several fraudulent websites and mobile applications were collecting data from applicants and also levying additional hefty charges for filling up the online application form and scheduling appointment for passport and related services. Some of these fake websites are registered in the domain name .org, .in, .com such as www.indiapassport.org, www.online-passportindia.com, www.passportindiaportal.in etc. The official website is www.passportindia.gov.in and all applicants are advised to apply for passport and services by visiting our official website or through mPassportseva app only,” stated the RPO.

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